Na, K-ATPase activity, ATP and Pi concentrations in various regions of monkey heart and their relation to...

The relationship among Na, K-ATPase activity, ATP and inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentrations in functionally different regions of cardiac and skeletal muscles were studied in the Japanese monkey (Macaca fuscata). The activity of Na, K-ATPase was determined by the method of FIske and SubbaRow, and the concentrations of ATP and Pi, by isotachophoresis. The ATP concentrations in several regions of cardiac and skeletal muscles correlated positively with the Na, K-ATPase activities and Pi concentrations, whereas there was no significant correlation between the Na, K-ATPase activities and the Pi concentrations. Therefore, the ATP concentrations in functionally different regions of the tissues seemed to be a feasible measure of Pi concentrations and the Na, K-ATPase activities. The Na, K-ATPase activity was significantly higher in the epicardium than in the endocardium of the ventricle. The post-overdrive hyperpolarization was compared in these two tissues, using microelectrode methods. The hyperpolarization which followed overdrive stimulation (3.3-3.8 Hz) in the epicardium exceeded that in the endocardium, and was attributed to the difference in Na, K-ATPase activity. Our findings suggest that tissues with a higher Na, K-ATPase activity may have a more potent Na, K-pump activity, in association with higher tissue concentrations of ATP and Pi.